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Networking Equipment

Networks and networking equipment have become an important part of today’s businesses. Networks allow businesses to have increased and easy communication with employees and customers. Wireless technology has brought networking outside the office, enabling employees to stay connected regardless of where they are. Although it makes communication simple, the equipment itself is fairly complicated, generally requiring businesses to have an expert on staff or hire consultants to ensure that all pieces of the network are working together and smoothly. Networking can seem like an expensive investment, but it is one that offers communication and protection in an unparalleled way.

Benefits

Networking equipment is an important part of many businesses and can help you stay up-to-date and connected with your employees and customer base. Networking PCs is a common business method. A growth of 42 percent was seen in PC sales in the Indian market in December 2009. 

Staying Connected

Routers, hubs, gateways, network interface cards, and more are used to stay connected with your employees and the computer system you use. Your business can benefit from immediate access to any one of these points.

Staying Protected

Network equipment, such as firewalls, will prevent unwanted viruses and hackers from accessing your networked computer system.

Ease of Connection

Wireless technology has allowed for networking to become easier than ever. Wireless networking allows computers, printers, cameras, and more to communicate without having to be in close proximity. This can easily keep your office space looking less jumbled (due to less corded connections) while providing access to many items.

Communication Ease

E-mail is one networking method that has become commonplace. Your company may benefit from an e-mail system that updates all users or is able to send an e-mail out to the entire network. E-mails being relayed through networks can give you an easy way to share files, such as images or blueprints, as well as a way to communicate with your employees.

Networking Outside of the Office

Wireless communications have brought networking from an inner-office setup to a system that can be used worldwide. Mobile phones have the ability to e-mail, send images and information to groups, have teleconferences, and more. PDAs can be updated with calendars that multiple people can connect with for easy updating. Wireless networks can even let you access your coffee machine at work, so you can start brewing before you ever arrive. This form of networking is becoming more prevalent with the growth of Internet and wireless capabilities.

Pitfalls

Choosing the right networking equipment is vital to setting up an effective working environment in a modern business. Because of this, there are several key points to consider when doing so.

Range

Sometimes the sheer range of choice in networking equipment can be daunting. Unless you are an expert in the field, it can be difficult to know exactly what the right piece of equipment for your needs will be. For example, few non-technicians know the functional differences between a bridge, router, or switch in terms of how network traffic is controlled. It is also unwise to rely solely on the seller’s recommendations for these choices, as they have only a brief overview of your needs and are keen to sell their product.

The ideal solution is to ensure that you have an expert in networking as part of your staff, who is consulted throughout the planning and buying stages. Other than this, professional consultancy is a solid investment to ensure that your networks are fit-for-purpose right from the beginning.

Choke Points

In contrast, some choices when designing a network are fixed and immutable, and the wrong piece of equipment in these spots will not only cause your network to be less efficient; it could cripple or disable it entirely. Network cards are vital for each PC that will be attached to the network. If an individual PC does not have a working card, it will not be able to connect at all. Correct wiring and wiring topology are also necessary, unless you are running a wireless network, and these must all be compatible with your chosen equipment and data usage.

Varying Standards

The world of networking has allowed several different industrial standards to flourish, and these are not always directly compatible. CAT 5 wiring cannot be used with equipment designed for CAT 3 standards, for example. When purchasing networking equipment, ensure that you are aware of the standards that it is designed to meet and that these are consistent throughout your network. This is one point where the vendor should be able to help, as the manufacturer specifications for equipment generally lists these points clearly.

Costs

Although purchasing the bare essentials of a network may not be very costly (technically network cards, some form of hub, and appropriate wiring/wireless connectors comprise a network), ensuring that one can function efficiently and effectively can become an expensive business. The addition of network racks, repeaters, switches, and other means of extending and controlling the system’s functionality create extra costs that may be prohibitive for smaller enterprises. One way of controlling these costs is to ensure that you know exactly what the business needs in the way of this extra functionality and to buy only the networking equipment appropriate to your current needs or already-planned expansions. Do not allow a salesperson’s who is enthusiastic for potential future growth talk you into buying equipment just in case. Apart from replacing lengths of cable for those types that cannot be spliced, adding equipment later is relatively straightforward and can be done if and when it is needed.

Pricing

If you are a businessperson considering buying networking hardware, you should keep in mind that the cost of ownership will depend on the type of products you use and the specific company that you choose to partner with. 

Purchase

Your network card is an important component in installing your network. It enables your connection to function. Network cards typically cost between $40 and $150, depending on their quality. The patch cord is worth at most $10, depending on the length.

Installation

The cost of Internet and network cable installation depends on your hardware, equipment, and broadband speed. A full set of equipment normally costs between $3 and $800, and installation costs are roughly equivalents.

Conclusion

Networking has becoming one major way that businesses stay closely connected both with their employees and consumers. Network equipment can be used to easily communicate via e-mail messages and to share printers and cameras even without being in close proximity. Wireless networks allow for less clutter in the office and provide the ability to access work information from home or on the go. One problem with networking equipment is that it is complicated, so an expert in networking is important to avoid being swayed by a salesperson who is solely interested in selling a product. Network cards, correct wiring, and wiring topology are also necessary and must be compatible with your network and usage. Taking varying standards and cost into consideration are also important, as networking technology can be an expensive initial investment and will not work if all pieces of it are not compatible. However, a functioning network system creates a level of communicative ability that is becoming increasingly essential to the modern-day workplace.